Haslam's third State of the State address is also expected to outline the Republican governor's legislative priorities for the year, including details about his proposal to introduce a school voucher program.

Haslam has yet to announce whether he wants Tennessee to participate in the expansion of Medicaid under the new federal health care law. Under that plan, the federal government would pay 100 percent of cost increases in the first three years and 90 percent thereafter.

But the measure would face a hard sell in the Republican-dominated Legislature.

Haslam has also announced he wants to make changes to workers' compensation rules this year.